Revealed: the stocking-filler candidates set to win big from Liberal’s council debacle

A Green who shared alien conspiracies and an 84 year old Labor life member are among the winners from the Liberals’ council candidate debacle.

A Greens candidate who described a conspiracy theory about ancient extraterrestrial technology as “proof that real aliens exist” is now set to be elected to council due to the Liberal nominations debacle.

The catastrophe deepened on Monday as senior Liberals slammed party President Don Harwin over his threats to fight the Electoral Commission in court.

The debacle is now set to propel unlikely candidates to a Steven Bradbury style victory, including in Penrith – where an 84 year old Labor life member and a 19 year old Labor staffer will be elected unopposed.

One candidate who is now likely to succeed due to the Liberals’ forfeit is the Greens’ Billy Gruner, running in the Blue Mountains City Council’s fourth ward.

Dr Gruner, a Sydney University academic, is staunchly opposed to the new Western Sydney Airport.

Blue Mountains Greens candidate Billy Gruner. Picture: Supplied

Social media post from Blue Mountain's Greens Candidate Billy Gruner about aliens. Picture: Supplied

He also appears to believe in ancient alien technology, according to a post on his Facebook page.

Last month, Dr Gruner shared a conspiracy theory promoting mythological flying palaces contained in sacred Hindu texts.

“I love this, proof that real aliens exist but left long ago,” Dr Gruner posted on his candidate Facebook page.

Dr Gruner said the since-deleted post was a “clear joke,” being spread to “harm my chances of being elected”.

In previous elections, Labor has one two of three seats in Ward Four, with one going to the Liberals.

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said that Dr Gruner now has a good shot at winning a seat on council, where he would be responsible for making decisions on local infrastructure and services.

Mark Speakman called the candidate nomination catastrophe a “debacle”. Picture: NewsWire

“The Greens on our council are often inclined to bring federal politics or state matters to our local council chamber, but motions on intergalactic issues would be both new and bizarre, even for them,” he said.

“The fact that this craziness was posted on his candidate’s page shows that Dr Gruner sees this as an election issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Penrith, five Labor councillors will be officially elected by default, after the Liberal Party failed to nominate.

New Labor councillor for Penrith Edwin "Eddie" Mifsud (right) pictured with Labor Minister, Chris Bowen MP. Picture: Facebook

All five Labor candidates in the East Ward will be elected, including 19 year old staffer Libby Austin and 84-year-old Labor life member Edwin Mifsud.

If the Liberal Party had nominated candidates, neither Mr Mifsud nor Ms Austin would have had a chance at winning a council seat.

New Labor councillor for Penrith Libby Austin. Picture: LinkedIn

So-called “stocking filler” candidates are placed on a major party ticket to ensure a favourable “above the line” spot on the ballot paper. They would usually have no chance of winning, and are preselected to fill out a ticket to help whoever is in the top position.

Labor did not respond to questions about the priorities of its new Penrith councillors.

The Liberal Party was still in disarray over the candidate fiasco on Monday, after party bosses threatened the electoral commission with legal action.

Senior sources fighting the disaster out in court would be “disastrous” for the party.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the party should consider “reasonably viable legal action”.

“At the end of the day, if we pursue those and they fail, well, we just have to cop it sweet,” he said.

Originally published as Revealed: the stocking-filler candidates set to win big from Liberal’s council debacle